Software · head to head
Spring Cloud Gateway vs AWS API Gateway
Spring Cloud Gateway
Software
API gateway built on Project Reactor for building microservices
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
AWS API Gateway
Software
Fully managed API gateway service for creating and managing APIs at scale
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Spring Cloud Gateway released under the Apache 2.0 license, free and open source with no commercial tier; AWS API Gateway rEST APIs cost $3.50 per million calls against $1.00 for HTTP APIs, so the older and more featureful type is three and a half times dearer
- They diverge on capability: Spring Cloud Gateway covers Routing, AWS API Gateway covers REST APIs.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Spring Cloud Gateway and AWS API Gateway actually diverge.
| Attribute | Spring Cloud Gateway | AWS API Gateway |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | open-source | usage-based |
| Platforms | Java, Spring Boot | AWS Cloud |
| Founded | 1998 | 2006 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Spring Cloud Gateway
- Routing
- Path Rewriting
- Circuit Breaker
- Spring Boot
- Spring Security
- Spring Cloud
- Java support
- Spring Boot support
Only in AWS API Gateway
- REST APIs
- WebSocket APIs
- HTTP APIs
- Lambda
- EC2
- DynamoDB
- CloudWatch
- IAM
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Spring Cloud Gateway
- API Developmentnot AWS API Gateway
- API Gatewaynot AWS API Gateway
- API Testingnot AWS API Gateway
- API Documentationnot AWS API Gateway
- Microservicesnot AWS API Gateway
AWS API Gateway
- Fronting Lambda functions with an HTTP endpointnot Spring Cloud Gateway
- REST and HTTP API management with throttling and keysnot Spring Cloud Gateway
- WebSocket APIs for real-time clientsnot Spring Cloud Gateway
- Private APIs reachable only inside a VPCnot Spring Cloud Gateway
- Publishing a developer portal for API consumersnot Spring Cloud Gateway
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Spring Cloud Gateway
- Released under the Apache 2.0 license, free and open source with no commercial tier
AWS API Gateway
- REST APIs cost $3.50 per million calls against $1.00 for HTTP APIs, so the older and more featureful type is three and a half times dearer
- Data transfer out is charged at $0.09 per GB on top of request pricing
- WebSocket APIs bill connection minutes as well as messages, at $0.25 per million minutes
- Private APIs avoid data transfer charges but incur AWS PrivateLink costs instead
- The developer portal is $125 a month, with additional portal products at $12.50 each
- The free tier lasts 12 months rather than being ongoing
Pricing, plan by plan
Spring Cloud Gateway
Free- Open SourceFree
- Core Spring Cloud Gateway
- Community support
AWS API Gateway
Free- Free TierFree
- 1M requests per month
- Basic API management
- Pay-as-you-go$3.5/per 1M requests
- Unlimited requests
- HTTP APIs
- REST APIs
Which should you pick?
Choose Spring Cloud Gateway if
- You need routing.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Java, Spring Boot.
- You also want path rewriting.
Choose AWS API Gateway if
- You need rest apis.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on AWS Cloud.
- You also want websocket apis.
Questions people ask
- Is Spring Cloud Gateway or AWS API Gateway better?
- Neither clearly leads. Spring Cloud Gateway starts at Free and AWS API Gateway at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Spring Cloud Gateway or AWS API Gateway?
- Spring Cloud Gateway starts at Free and AWS API Gateway at Free.
- Does Spring Cloud Gateway or AWS API Gateway run on more platforms?
- Spring Cloud Gateway runs on Java, Spring Boot. AWS API Gateway runs on AWS Cloud.
- Can I use Spring Cloud Gateway for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Spring Cloud Gateway best used for?
- Spring Cloud Gateway is most often used for api development, api gateway, api testing, api documentation. Of those, api development and api gateway are not what AWS API Gateway is typically brought in for.
- What can Spring Cloud Gateway do that AWS API Gateway cannot?
- Spring Cloud Gateway covers Routing, Path Rewriting, Circuit Breaker, Spring Boot. AWS API Gateway covers REST APIs, WebSocket APIs, HTTP APIs, Lambda.